Question 1

By far the most common way of judging public opinion is through the use of mass surveys. What are the main attributes of mass surveys? What are some of their principal strengths and weaknesses when used to understand public opinion? Are mass surveys, on the whole, a reliable way to understand public opinion? Why or why not?

Accepted Answer

The main attributes of mass surveys incl...

Question 2

Although political scientists used to believe that the public had almost no meaningful opinions, they now believe that these opinions are based on a combination of principles and the information people have "on the top" of their heads.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 3

Support for gay marriage and/or civil unions has doubled in recent decades, at least in part because more survey respondents say that they know someone who is gay or lesbian.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 4

What kind of poll is used to affect, rather than measure, public opinion?

Accepted Answer

A)   a push poll
B)   a robo poll
C)   a random sample poll
D)   an exit poll
E)   an opinion poll that relies on random digit dialing

Question 5

What was the policy mood during the late 1970s and early 1980s?

Accepted Answer

A)   conservative
B)   liberal
C)   It alternated between conservative and liberal extremes.
D)   moderate
E)   It is impossible to determine because most polls have such high rates of sampling error.

Question 6

What is the current policy mood?

Accepted Answer

A)   in favor of government action at the state level but not at the federal level
B)   strongly favors government action because of continuing unemployment
C)   Measures of the policy mood in the past few years have been very unstable.
D)   generally neutral toward government action
E)   Opposition to government action is as high as it has been since World War II.

Question 7

When we describe where someone falls on the conservative-moderate-liberal spectrum, we are referring to their:

Accepted Answer

A)   party identification.
B)   ideology.
C)   policy mood.
D)   latent opinion.
E)   consideration.

Question 8

What is political socialization?

Accepted Answer

A)   the process by which people become educated about liberal arts
B)   attitudes toward social issues that come up in politics
C)   the influence of politicians on people's views about society
D)   the process by which an individual's political opinions are shaped by others
E)   the amount of time people spend socializing in a political environment

Question 9

Why does a low level of trust in government matter?

Accepted Answer

A)   It leads to high voter turnout.
B)   It creates less competitive elections.
C)   It can lead to elected officials pandering to their voters.
D)   It allows experienced politicians to more easily manipulate less experienced politicians.
E)   It makes it harder for elected officials to enact new policies.

Question 10

Why is social desirability bias a problem for surveys?

Accepted Answer

A)   It increases sampling error.
B)   The results fail to account for the opinions of the poor.
C)   The answers from respondents are not truthful.
D)   It skews the results in favor of Republican candidates.
E)   It skews the results in favor of Democratic candidates.

Question 11

Which of the following best describes the contemporary political science perspective on public opinion?

Accepted Answer

A)   Most people's political opinions are latent and are only formed when needed.
B)   People only have strong and informed opinions on issues and subjects aboutEconomic issues.
C)   Most people are not well educated and should be discouraged from participating in politics until they learn more about American government.
D)   Most people seek out information on political issues but often fail to comprehend what they read or hear.
E)   People typically have well-formed opinions on most issues because of the abundance of news and political information available on the Internet.

Question 12

What does it mean that people often form opinions on the spot?

Accepted Answer

A)   Those opinions have essentially no meaning to the people who profess them.
B)   People rely very heavily on their principles in formulating opinions.
C)   People are sensitive to, and form their opinions based on, what they have recentlySeen or heard.
D)   Their opinions are ill-informed and therefore are not counted in surveys.
E)   We can only really tell what people believe by using sophisticated survey techniques.

Question 13

Americans' collective demands for government action on domestic policies are measured by:

Accepted Answer

A)   ideological polarization.
B)   policy mood.
C)   trust in government.
D)   partisanship.
E)   the reelection rates of incumbent officeholders.

Question 14

Early studies from the 1950s found overwhelming evidence that the public's political opinions were internally consistent and stable over time.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 15

The fact that people are socialized into politics by their family and community means that:

Accepted Answer

A)   they never modify their political principles.
B)   their opinions almost never change.
C)   very little thought goes into political opinions.
D)   events early in life can affect one's sense of civic duty into adulthood.
E)   other possible sources of influence, such as a high school civics class, have little effect.

Question 16

An individual would be expressing what scholars call a "latent opinion" if asked for the first time to state a position on a complicated issue such as deficit reduction.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 17

What kind of government action suits the policy mood in Obama's second term?

Accepted Answer

A)   more government action
B)   less government action
C)   about the same amount of government action as in recent years
D)   government action at the federal level but not among the states
E)   government action at the state level but not by the national government

Question 18

What does an issue scale ask people?

Accepted Answer

A)   to state how close they are to one of several policy options
B)   how liberal or conservative they feel
C)   why they are Republican or Democrat
D)   what policies are most important to them
E)   to identify their socioeconomic status

Question 19

How does completing a civics class in high school impact political socialization?

Accepted Answer

A)   It decreases the likelihood of a person protesting the actions of the government.
B)   It increases support for democracy as a system of government.
C)   It increases support for Democrats.
D)   It increases support for Republicans.
E)   It makes people more evenhanded and moderate in their political attitudes.

Question 20

People who give answers that they believe interviewers want to hear are a problem for survey research because this can lead to social desirability bias.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Exam 6: Public Opinion

An individual would be expressing what scholars call a "latent opinion" if asked for the first time to state a position on a complicated issue such as deficit reduction.

Correct Answer
verified

What kind of government action suits the policy mood in Obama's second term?

Correct Answer
verified

Support for gay marriage and/or civil unions has doubled in recent decades, at least in part because more survey respondents say that they know someone who is gay or lesbian.

Correct Answer
verified

What was the policy mood during the late 1970s and early 1980s?

Correct Answer
verified

Why does a low level of trust in government matter?

Correct Answer
verified

The fact that people are socialized into politics by their family and community means that:

Correct Answer
verified

What does it mean that people often form opinions on the spot?

Correct Answer
verified

Early studies from the 1950s found overwhelming evidence that the public's political opinions were internally consistent and stable over time.

Correct Answer
verified

Which of the following best describes the contemporary political science perspective on public opinion?

Correct Answer
verified

Why is social desirability bias a problem for surveys?

Correct Answer
verified

What kind of poll is used to affect, rather than measure, public opinion?

Correct Answer
verified

Americans' collective demands for government action on domestic policies are measured by:

Correct Answer
verified

What does an issue scale ask people?

Correct Answer
verified

People who give answers that they believe interviewers want to hear are a problem for survey research because this can lead to social desirability bias.

Correct Answer
verified

How does completing a civics class in high school impact political socialization?

Correct Answer
verified

What is the current policy mood?

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
Answered by ExamLex AI
The main attributes of mass surveys incl...
View Answer

Although political scientists used to believe that the public had almost no meaningful opinions, they now believe that these opinions are based on a combination of principles and the information people have "on the top" of their heads.

Correct Answer
verified

What is political socialization?

Correct Answer
verified

When we describe where someone falls on the conservative-moderate-liberal spectrum, we are referring to their:

Correct Answer
verified

Exam 6: Public Opinion

An individual would be expressing what scholars call a "latent opinion" if asked for the first time to state a position on a complicated issue such as deficit reduction.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What kind of government action suits the policy mood in Obama's second term?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Support for gay marriage and/or civil unions has doubled in recent decades, at least in part because more survey respondents say that they know someone who is gay or lesbian.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What was the policy mood during the late 1970s and early 1980s?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Why does a low level of trust in government matter?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The fact that people are socialized into politics by their family and community means that:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What does it mean that people often form opinions on the spot?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Early studies from the 1950s found overwhelming evidence that the public's political opinions were internally consistent and stable over time.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following best describes the contemporary political science perspective on public opinion?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Why is social desirability bias a problem for surveys?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What kind of poll is used to affect, rather than measure, public opinion?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Americans' collective demands for government action on domestic policies are measured by:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What does an issue scale ask people?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

People who give answers that they believe interviewers want to hear are a problem for survey research because this can lead to social desirability bias.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

How does completing a civics class in high school impact political socialization?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What is the current policy mood?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Correct AnswerAnswered by ExamLex AIThe main attributes of mass surveys incl...View AnswerShow Answer

Although political scientists used to believe that the public had almost no meaningful opinions, they now believe that these opinions are based on a combination of principles and the information people have "on the top" of their heads.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What is political socialization?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

When we describe where someone falls on the conservative-moderate-liberal spectrum, we are referring to their:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
Answered by ExamLex AI
The main attributes of mass surveys incl...
View Answer

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified